Eat to beat diabetes says Dr Michael Mosley

DR MICHAEL MOSLEY: Fast, effective weight loss will have a massive impact on many other aspects of your health

Most of us want to lose weight to feel confident, fit and — in our heart of hearts — to look great.

But fast, effective weight loss will also have a massive impact on many other aspects of your health, too.

The 8-Week Blood Sugar Diet — a simple 800-calorie-a-day eating plan based on the Mediterranean diet — was originally devised to combat diabetes.

But the health benefits of this diet go far beyond that.

Carrying excess fat can be disastrously unhealthy, as I know to my cost.

When I was told, in 2012, that I had type 2 diabetes — which is commonly caused by eating too much and moving too little — I was shocked.

Not just because I didn’t have any of the typical symptoms of thirstiness, fatigue or blurred vision, but because I wasn’t particularly overweight.

Yes, I was carrying a few extra pounds but the main problem was that I had far too much fat around my abdomen which was infiltrating my internal organs, impairing their ability to work effectively.

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I was also suffering from a condition called ‘insulin resistance’ where the cells in my body were no longer responding properly to the hormone, insulin.

It was a worrying diagnosis, but I consider myself to be extremely lucky to have been spotted early. Experts now believe a third of all adults in the UK have raised blood sugar levels, putting them at an increased risk of diabetes, heart disease and even some cancers.

Many have no idea. But I was able to act quickly, lose weight (20lb in two months), and specifically shed the harmful visceral fat that was lurking in my abdomen, and as a consequence I have reversed my diabetes and put myself back on a path to good health

DR MICHAEL MOSLEY: When I was told, in 2012, that I had type 2 diabetes — which is commonly caused by eating too much and moving too little — I was shocked

The worrying truth is, even if your weight sits comfortably in the ‘healthy’ range on your doctor’s BMI charts, if you have a diet packed with sugars and refined carbohydrates, as mine was, you are very likely to be putting your health at risk.

My BMI was 26 (below 25 is considered healthy) and my waist measured 36 inches (it is now 33).

A big part of the problem is that we eat far too many sugary carbohydrates which are easily and swiftly broken down in your gut to release sugar into your system.

Your body responds by pumping out insulin, but if you have an unhealthy diet and low activity levels (as so many people do) you can easily become insulin-resistant. And that leaves your blood sugar levels on a permanent high.

Studies show the average weight loss on an eight-week, 800-calorie plan is a staggering 14kg

If you have raised blood sugar levels, the sugars can stick to the proteins in the walls of your blood vessels making them stiffer and less flexible. In time, this can lead to the build-up of scar tissue inside the blood vessels. This is why diabetics are at increased risk of heart disease, stroke, blindness and impotence.

Simply having raised blood sugars and insulin increases your risk of strokes, dementia, cancer and a lifetime on medication — even if you’re not diabetic.

Studies show you don’t have to have blood sugars in the diabetic range for damage to occur.

Raised blood sugar will also make you look older by attacking the collagen and elastin molecules in your skin, making your face saggy and wrinkled.

For some women, insulin resistance can exacerbate a condition called polycystic ovary syndrome (pcos), which can cause irregular periods and excess hair, because surplus insulin encourages the ovaries to produce more of the ‘male’ hormone testosterone — normally found in minimal quantities in women.

These hormone imbalances can lead to weight gain and alter how the female hormone oestrogen is metabolised, which affects the menstrual cycle — making fertility difficult.

However, losing weight can be enough to keep symptoms in check and even reverse the condition.

The 8-Week Blood Sugar Diet works so effectively and so quickly, it strips the pancreas of fat, helping it resume insulin production as normal, allowing the body’s natural processes to work as they should.

Many experts believe high blood sugar could also worsen conditions such as eczema and asthma.

AVOID FASTING DIETS

Avoid a low-calorie/fasting diet if you are: under 18, underweight or have a history of an eating disorder; you are pregnant or breastfeeding; have a significant psychiatric disorder; are frail or you are recovering from surgery.

Check with your GP first if you have other medical conditions or you are taking medications such as warfarin, insulin or drugs for diabetes or blood pressure.

Although any weight loss is helpful if you are overweight, studies show reducing your body weight by 10-15 per cent is enough to shed the dangerous visceral fat, unclog your liver and pancreas and set you on the path to recovery.

And by following the 8-Week Blood Sugar Diet, you have every chance of success.

Studies show the average weight loss on an eight-week, 800-calorie plan is a staggering 14kg (just over 2st). The impact of fast, effective weight loss has far wider implications than a drop in dress size.

The added bonus of the 8-Week Blood Sugar Diet over and above the promised weight loss, is that you will be learning how to tap into the proven health benefits of Mediterranean-style eating.

Studies have shown that a lower-carb Mediterranean diet packed with nutrient-rich fresh foods not only cuts your risk of heart disease and diabetes, but it may also delay the onset of dementia and cognitive impairment (when you struggle with remembering, learning new things and making decisions).

Consuming extra-virgin olive oil (an important part of the diet which you’ll find in many of the recipes in our new book) seems to be particularly beneficial when it comes to preventing breast cancer, perhaps because it contains compounds such as polyphenols, which are known for their anti-inflammatory effects. A very recent finding is that women who followed a Mediterranean diet rich in olive oil had a 68 per cent less chance of developing breast cancer than those on a low-fat diet.

There is no doubt that achieving and maintaining a healthy weight is crucial to your long-term health, but if you can get there via the eight-week blood sugar diet, you will also be discovering a new, fantastically healthy and tasty way to eat.

SURPRISE CHOCOLATE CAKE

Serves 12

400g tin red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 tbsp vanilla extract
5 eggs
150g coconut oil
15 soft pitted dates, diced
60g cocoa powder
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp ground cinnamon
Pinch of salt
150g fresh raspberries or cherries, stones removed

CALORIES 250 • PROTEIN 7g • FAT 16g• FIBRE 4g • CARBS 20g

Preheat the oven to 150c. Grease a 20cm round cake tin and line the base. Blitz the kidney beans, vanilla extract, 2 of the eggs, 1 tbsp water and the coconut oil until smooth (4-5 mins), then add the rest of the ingredients and mix well.

Pour the mixture into the cake tin, press the raspberries into the surface and bake for 30 mins, then allow to cool for 10 mins before turning the cake out on to a rack.

This mixture also makes delicious cupcakes – just use a 12-hole tray, lined with paper cases and cook for 15-20 mins.

SUPER SAUCES

You can liven up any chicken breast or tin of tuna once you’ve mastered the art of a quick, home-made no-sugar sauce or dressing. Try these:

TASTY MAYONNAISE: Healthy fats are on the menu so it’s welcome back to a dollop of full-fat mayonnaise with your salads! Liven up a good shop-bought brand by mixing it 50:50 with Greek yoghurt and adding the zest of a lemon, or a crushed garlic clove and 1 tbsp chopped chives or dill.

SWEET CHILLI SAUCE: Combine a finely diced red chilli, half a diced red pepper, 1cm grated root ginger, a crushed garlic clove, 1 tsp chia seeds, 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar, 1 tbsp rice wine, a pinch of salt and 1 tbsp Thai fish sauce in a pan with 2 tbsp water and simmer for four to five minutes. Store in the fridge when cool.

PESTO: Blitz 50g walnuts, 50g pine nuts, 50g basil leaves, 5 tbsp olive oil with the juice of two lemons.

SALSA: mix together 150g chopped tomatoes, half a crushed garlic clove, ½ tbsp cider vinegar, 2 tbsp olive oil, half a diced red pepper, ½ tsp chilli flakes, with a handful of chopped parsley or coriander . . .

You can also add the following healthy sprinkles. Scatter these on soups, fish, vegetables or salad to add extra flavour:

Finely chopped chorizo (20g = 60 cals)
Fried pancetta (20g = 70 cals)
Roasted nuts/seeds (120 cals)
Diced feta (30g = 80 cals) or halloumi (40g = 130 cals)
Sliced mushrooms (50g sauted in butter with a chopped garlic clove = 50 cals).

While on the diet, you can still indulge in the occasional treat — such as the ones on these pages from the 8-Week Blood Sugar Diet Recipe Book. It is far better to have the odd pudding which is low in sugar and processed carbohydrates than be tempted by sweet, unhealthy alternatives.

Puds so divinely scrumptious you won’t believe they’re low sugar

Seedy flapjacks

Makes 24 small squares

150g coconut oil
120g blueberries (or figs, chopped)
110g soft dates, finely chopped
50g jumbo oats
100g rolled oats
3 tbsp mixed seeds (sunflower, pumpkin, sesame . . .)
3 tbsp hazelnuts (or almonds), roasted and chopped
3 tbsp dried cranberries (or goji berries or raisins)
Pinch of salt

• CALORIES 80 • PROTEIN 2g • FAT 4g• FIBRE 1g • CARBS 10g

Preheat the oven to 170c and line a greased 20cm square metal baking tray with greaseproof paper. In a food processor, blitz the coconut oil, blueberries and dates then mix in the oats, seeds, nuts, dried fruit and salt. Press the mixture down flat in the tray and bake for 30 minutes, allow to cool slightly then cut into small squares. Can be stored in an airtight container for a few days.

Orange and pistachio cupcakes

MAKES 6

1 large or 2 small eggs
2 tbsp coconut oil (or butter, melted)
Zest and juice of 1 orange
5 large pitted dates, finely chopped
100g ground almonds
1 tsp baking powder
Seeds from 3 cardamom pods
25g pistachios, crushed
6 raspberries
¼ tsp salt

• CALORIES 360 (per cake) • PROTEIN 10g • FAT 25g • FIBRE 4g • CARBS 25g

Preheat the oven to 170c. Mix all the moist ingredients with the dates and blitz them in a food processor (or use a fork to mash together). Then stir in the dry ingredients along with half of the pistachios. Spoon the mixture into 6 cupcake cases and set them aside for a few minutes to let the baking powder act. Press a raspberry into the middle of each cupcake and scatter the remaining pistachios on top, then bake for 15 minutes until golden brown.

Pumpkin pudding

SERVES 8

½ small pumpkin or butternut squash (500g), peeled and diced
100g or 12 soft dried apricots, quartered
3 large eggs
200ml coconut milk
Juice of half a lemon (and zest, optional)
2 tsp mixed spice
25g pumpkin seeds
25g pecans, chopped
2 tsp maple syrup (optional)
Pinch of salt

CALORIES 140 • PROTEIN 4g • FAT 10g• FIBRE 2g • CARBS 8g

Preheat the oven to 180c. Place the pumpkin on a baking tray, add a splash of water and cover with a sheet of foil with a small steam hole in the middle. Bake for 45 minutes and set aside to cool. Meanwhile, soak the apricots in hot water for 5-10 minutes.

Blend the cooled pumpkin with the apricots, eggs, coconut milk, lemon and mixed spice in a food processor and pour into 8 ramekins and place them on an oven tray. Pour enough boiling water into the tray to come half way up the side of the ramekins then bake for 30 minutes. Allow to cool, then refrigerate for 3-4 hours to chill completely. Toss the pumpkin seeds and pecans in the maple syrup (if using) and roast for 15 minutes, then scatter on puddings before serving.

Almond pancakes

SERVES 4

50g cherries, stoned and halved (or berries)
2 eggs
250ml milk
1 tbsp vanilla extract
100g almond flour
Pinch of baking powder
Coconut oil or butter for frying
2 tbsp full fat fromage frais

CALORIES 170 • PROTEIN 6g • FAT 7g • FIBRE 0g• CARBS 40g

Put the cherries/berries in a small saucepan with a splash of water and simmer to make a soft jam. Whisk the eggs, milk and vanilla extract in a bowl then add the almond flour and baking powder and combine well to make a smooth batter.

Place a large non-stick frying pan over a medium heat and add a little coconut oil or butter to coat. When hot add a ladle of the batter, tipping the pan to spread it over the entire surface and cook for 1 minute, then flip it over and cook the other side.

Serve with the cherries/berries and fromage frais.

Fruit sponge pudding

SERVES 6

400g plums, halved and stoned (or any frozen fruit)
100g coconut oil (or butter)
2 eggs
Zest of 1 lemon
100g pitted dates, finely chopped
100g ground almonds
1 tsp ground cinnamon (optional)
1 tsp baking powder

CALORIES 350 • PROTEIN 7g • FAT 28g• FIBRE 3g • CARBS 18g

Preheat the oven to 160c. Place the fruit in a greased 20cm ovenproof dish. Beat together the coconut oil or butter, eggs and lemon zest, then stir in the dates, ground almonds, cinnamon and baking powder and mix well. Spoon the mixture on top of the fruit and bake for 35-40 minutes. Serve with 1 tbsp full-fat Greek yoghurt (adds 30 calories) or creme fraiche (adds 90 calories).

Passion fruit pudding

SERVES 1

2 tbsp creme fraiche (or full-fat coconut yoghurt)
1 passion fruit
Handful of berries
½ mint leaf, finely chopped
½ tsp maple syrup (optional)

CALORIES 240 • PROTEIN 2g • FAT 24g• FIBRE 1g • CARBS 5g

Put creme fraiche in a small glass. Cut the passion fruit in half, scoop out the seeds and juice and tip over the creme fraiche. Scatter the berries and the mint on top and drizzle over the maple syrup.

Chocolate brownies

MAKES 16

60g pitted dates, finely chopped
60g coconut oil (or unsalted butter, softened), plus extra to grease
3 eggs
100g ground almonds
1 pear, quartered and cored,
140g dark chocolate (70%)
25g Brazil nuts, chopped
Pinch of salt

CALORIES 155 • PROTEIN 3g• FAT 12g• FIBRE 1g • CARBS 10g

Preheat the oven to 180c and grease a 20cm square cake tin. Simmer the dates in a saucepan with a splash of water for 3-5 minutes, allow to cool then blitz with the coconut oil in a food processor. Transfer to a large bowl and add the eggs, then the ground almonds, and beat until everything is incorporated. Dice the pear into ½cm squares and stir it in.

Melt the dark chocolate (over steaming water or in a microwave), allow to cool slightly, then stir into the brownie mixture. Pour into the tin and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until a knife comes out clean. Cut the brownies into squares and freeze any left over. These make a great pudding — delicious with a dollop of creme fraiche (adds 90 calories).

Never buy a loaf again!

Parmesan crisps

It can be tricky to live the rest of your life without bread, but the more you can train yourself to do so, the better will be your chances of staying slim long term.

Aim to keep its intake to an absolute minimum, and if you can’t resist, ensure it contains unrefined wholegrains and seeds, and ideally non-wheat flours (but be warned, nut flours behave differently to wheat flour when home baking, so stick closely to the recipes). A delicious, surprisingly healthy alternative to cheese straws — these take only two minutes to prepare and less time to cook.

Makes 8 portions

100g Parmesan, finely grated
100g Cheddar, grated
100g ground almonds

CALORIES 180 • PROTEIN 10g • FAT 15g• FIBRE 1g • CARBS 1g

Preheat the oven to 150c and line a non-stick baking tray with greaseproof paper. Combine the cheeses and almonds in a bowl and drop dollops on the tray (allowing room for them to spread).

Cook for 2 minutes, until they start to brown round the edges, allow to cool slightly before serving.

Rye bread

Spelt is more nutritious than modern wheat and has a sweetish, slightly nutty taste. You can add more rye, but the more you add, the less it rises.

MAKES 12 SLICES

400g stoneground spelt flour
120g stoneground rye flour
1½ tsp salt
2 tsp yeast
3 tbsp seeds (1 tbsp poppy, 1 tbsp sunflower and 1 tbsp linseeds or pumpkin seeds)
430ml lukewarm water
2 tbsp olive oil (or 40g butter)
1 tbsp honey

CALORIES 180 (per slice) • PROTEIN 5g •FAT 5g• FIBRE 4g • CARBS 30g

Put everything in a breadmaker tin and set as a ‘large’ loaf on the wholemeal cycle (4-5 hours, depending on the breadmaker). Alternatively, bake it in the oven. Put flour, salt, seeds and yeast in a large bowl and mix together. Gradually stir in water with oil and honey to form a dough.

Transfer to a flat surface scattered lightly with flour and knead for 5 minutes, adding more flour as needed. Oil loaf tin and fold dough into a shape that fits, pressing it in evenly. Put it in a plastic food bag and leave in a warm place to rise for 2 hours (till the dough no longer springs back when you press it).

Remove it from bag and place in an oven preheated to 200c for 35-40 minutes. Tip bread out onto the baking tray. It should sound hollow when you tap it.

Chickpea flatbread

Most shop-bought flatbreads are made of highly refined wheat flour, so make your own with traditional wholemeal chickpea flour, which is lower in carbohydrate and high in protein and fibre. Known as gram flour or besan, it is found in supermarkets and health food shops.

MAKES 8

250g chickpea flour
Water
Pinch of salt
Seasoning (chilli flakes, pepper and onion powder, rosemary or caraway seeds)
1 tbsp coconut or olive oil

CALORIES 110 • PROTEIN 6g• FAT 3g• FIBRE 3g • CARBS 16g

Whisk the flour with enough water to make a thin pancake batter, then add salt and seasoning and leave to stand for 2-3 hours. When you want to use it, whisk in the oil. Brush a frying pan with olive oil and swirl the batter into the pan, cooking it until brown and crisp, turning once. Can be used as pizza bases, or wraps (they freeze well).

Soda bread

MAKES 12 SLICES

325g wholemeal flour
75g wholemeal spelt flour
2 tbsp rolled oats
2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
½ tsp salt
2 tbsp pumpkin seeds, plus extra for sprinkling
2 tbsp sunflower seeds, plus extra for sprinkling
75g walnuts, chopped
325ml buttermilk
3-4 tbsp milk
1 tbsp olive oil

CALORIES 210 (per slice) • PROTEIN 7g • FAT 8g • FIBRE 3g • CARBS 29g

Preheat oven to 230c. Place the flours, oats, bicarbonate of soda and salt in a mixing bowl with the seeds and walnuts. Stir in the buttermilk. Mix gently to make a soft dough, adding the milk gradually. Shape the dough on a floured surface, scatter the rest of the seeds over the work surface and roll the loaf over them so they stick, then either place in an oiled 900g loaf tin or shape it into a flattened ball and cut a cross into the surface for a more traditional shape. Bake in the oven for 10 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 200c and bake for a further 20- 30 minutes, until golden and firm. Slice any bread you don’t eat and keep it in a bag in the freezer.

Berry and chia seed ‘jam’

A peculiar property of chia seeds is their ability to expand and absorb fluid, forming a clear gel, so it can be used to make a berry coulis, or ‘jam’ to drizzle into yoghurt or over a pudding.

SERVES 4

100g berries with seeds (frozen is fine)
1 tsp chia seeds for a coulis, 2 tsp for ‘jam’
50ml water
½-1 tsp maple syrup (optional)

CALORIES 20 • PROTEIN 1g • FAT 1g• FIBRE 1g • CARBS 3g

Put the berries and water in a small pan and bring to the boil. When the berries begin to soften, mash them with a fork or potato masher, then add the chia seeds. Simmer for 5 minutes, adding more water if it gets too thick (and maple syrup if desired). Store in a jar in the fridge for a few days. Convert this to berry ‘mousse’ by stirring half of one serving of berry coulis into 2 tbsp creme fraiche, then drizzling the other half on top and chill.